Family
by galaxy18hime
Summary: Shizuru, recently separated from her philandering husband, struggles to fight the loneliness in her heart. When she and her son meet Natsuki, who has built her own oddball family, Shizuru learns that family is not always what it seems.
1. Chapter 1

**Hey y'all! I know it's been a long time but here's a new story. It's going to be a little bit on the lighter side and the characters are going to be a little more OOC - on the surface at least. Oh, and kids! So they're going to be a little older (late 20's) as well. As always, thanks to my beta for her great work. **

**Disclaimer: I don't own these characters, and we all know who does! **

Chapter 1

Ryo woke up from his awesome dream with a groan. He couldn't remember a lot of it, but he was pretty sure he was a toy, like the movie _Toy Story_. T-Rex was his favorite character, and there was an alarm clock shaped like it on Ryo's desk across from his bed. The clock said it was seven AM, which was way too early for him to be up.

There was dry drool crusting all over Ryo's chin. _Gross._ He scrubbed it away with the back of his hand and frowned. The dream wasn't scary at all, so he couldn't figure out why he was awake so early on a Saturday. Just then, his stomach made a loud grumbling noise. He patted his belly a little bit with a funny smile. If his mom heard his tummy rumbling, she would tease him like crazy.

He giggled a little as his tummy continued to make those weird growling sounds. Hopping out of bed with a huge yawn, Ryo made his way to the kitchen, hoping his mom was awake this early.

Smells of tea and his mom's famous American style pancakes drifted to him, making Ryo hungrier and hungrier as he walked to the half closed door of the kitchen and dining room. A soft musical voice hit him when he reached up to pull the door further open, making him pause. His mom was talking to someone in a sad tone, which happened a lot these days; mostly when she talked to his dad.

"Please, K- Fukushima-san. I just want you to guarantee that you will not keep me from our son," he heard. Mama's voice was so sad that Ryo wanted to run into the room and hug her until she smiled.

Ryo knew that his mom and dad were not going to live together anymore. They haven't been in the same house for a long time, and Ryo kept hearing the word divorce from both of them. It was something like the opposite of marriage, but he couldn't be sure. And he was too afraid to ask.

Mama sighed into the phone. "I know we aren't a match, but we still made a beautiful little bo-" Ryo heard something slap against the table and he jumped at the sound. "Enough! I am tired of your games. I don't want anything from you, you know this! I simply wish to be left alone and help raise our son." Though the voice was still soft, Ryo could hear his mother's natural accent creep into her voice. It just made the musical quality so much more, and he loved it. But not when she was angry or upset, so he had to do something.

The little boy gulped, and pulled the door open.

~ SHIZNAT ~

Shizuru Fujino was seething. Her estranged husband was using her son as a bargaining chip to get as much money as he could out of the divorce. Yes, they both came from prominent families, but the Fujinos were an old family from Kyoto and had not just wealth, but lineage behind their name. A shaking hand brushed through her fringe of brown hair; she wished she hadn't bothered to answer the cell phone. She sat back in her seat at her elegant dining table, trying to relax.

"_Look, all you need to do is stop calling down your legal team on me. You and I both know those domestic abuse allegations won't hold in court." _ There was no violence in the threat or in Kenta Fukushima's voice, but Shizuru stiffened at the memory.

"Mama?"

The sound of Ryo so close caused Shizuru to jump and bite off the curse that formed on her lips. She looked down at her seven year old, feeling most of the tension drain out of her.

"Good morning, little one." Her hand found its way to his tawny head as he stepped closer. Forcing a bright smile past her lips, she added. "Did you sleep well?"

Ryo's big amber eyes gazed at her with all the sadness of a puppy wanting food as he nodded. "I smelled pancakes, mama."

"_Shizuru…" _ Kenta growled through the line. Shizuru had to suppress the small wave of fear that rolled through her at the sound.

Ryo tugged on her hand. "Mama, I'm hungry. Can we have pancakes now?"

Shizuru's smile widened. "Bye Kenta. I am going to feed our son. Please don't call again." She hung up the phone without bothering to listen to the cursing man on the other line, while standing from the dining table and making her way to the hot plate of pancakes on the counter.

"Please wash your hands, little one."

Ryo gave a shouting "Kay!" as he sped out to the bathroom. Shizuru chuckled then slumped against the counter. Kenta infuriated her, to be sure, but his emotional and physical hold over her still frightened her. Her family and extremely large team of fancy lawyers kept him from overtly doing anything since they separated almost a year ago, but he would still occasionally pull stunts like this one to keep her off balance. She pulled her robe around her as a sudden cold came over her.

Pitter patter of small feet jolted her out of her thoughts, and Shizuru turned from the counter with the pancakes in hand just in time for Ryo's little body to slam into her leg. His head buried into her side.

"What's this?" She asked lightly, even as her free hand smoothed down his unruly curls.

Her little boy's reply was a muffled, "Love you Mama." She just about burst into tears right there. Ryo was her world, and she was always so surprised at her son's sweet nature. Hopefully, he wouldn't lose his kindness once he grew up.

"I love you too, baby. Now let's eat. We've a date with Uncle Reito and Aunt Mai." Ryo let out a whoop and sped to the table.

Shizuru smiled at his mood swing. Ryo's sudden bright mood was infectious, driving away the dark thoughts from earlier. Today was going to end much better than it started.

~ SHIZNAT ~

Mid-summer in Tokyo was sweltering, but today a nice breeze had cut through most of the humidity and heat. Natsuki Kuga wiped at her sweating brow, looking for her short redheaded best friend. She should be back from a convenience store mission, along with their charges. _Nao and the kids aren't late. Relax, Kuga. _She thought as she dropped down into a nice patch of grass and closed her eyes. _Might as well take advantage of this quiet. _

No sooner than Natsuki had gotten comfortable, someone shouted a "Watch out!" and something heavy hit the ground within inches of her head. She shot up.

"Shit!"

It only took her a second to find the flying object. It was a heavy kick ball that was currently bouncing away from her through the tall grass. Shaking her head, she jogged after it, catching it in only a couple of strides.

"Thanks, sorry for scaring you there." A low baritone spoke from behind Natsuki. She spun slowly, craning her neck to find a pair of dark eyes watching her sheepishly.

_Damn he's tall. _"It's okay. I didn't need the sleep." Natsuki grinned up at the man.

He gave her a warm one in return. "My name's Kanzaki Reito. Why don't you come get a drink, you can meet the little rascal who nearly took off your pretty head."

Natsuki was about to say no. Really, despite not being attracted to the handsome man who was giving her his best little boy look, she couldn't help but be somewhat charmed by him. "Mom always said not to take offers from strangers. It could be dangerous."

Reito laughed and shook his head. "You're quite right, Miss. But I assure you I am only going to take you to a couple of hyper kids and my wife." He gave her a goofy smile and turned to point towards a blanket with a redhead and two kids who were bouncing around and waving in the two adults' direction.

Kids were her weakness, so Natsuki pouted in thought, which Reito thought was quite adorable on the dark haired beauty. "Alright. Would you mind if my friend and our kids join you?"

Reito raised an eyebrow in response and Natuski had to suppress a grin. Most people were a little put off by her forward personality. Japanese social customs required her to act demure and polite, but societal rules rarely suited Natsuki, so she ignored them most of the time. "Sure, the more the merrier."

Success! Nao and the kids would love the prime spot, and if tall, dark and handsome was any indication, she found some really nice people to hang out with for the day. Flashing her biggest smile, secretly pleased at the slight blush she caused, she said, "My name's Natsuki Kuga. I know we just met and all that but I'm not much for formalities, so Natsuki's fine by me."

Natsuki started off towards Reito's family, and pulled out her phone to text Nao that she had made some friends. Chuckling at what Nao would say about her antics, she checked her stride so she and Reito would walk side by side. She didn't want to scare the kids - or the pretty wife - after all.

Mai had to fight off a small pang of jealousy when her husband strolled back to their spot with the dark haired woman who survived the kickball attack in tow. The two of them had been married for just under four years, and have been together since high school. Mai loved her husband dearly, but the man was too handsome and charismatic for his own good. She could be charming if she wanted to, but Reito and Shizuru were on a whole other level. It's like they couldn't help but enchant anyone they ran into. Yet those two were just so sweet and adorable about it that it wasn't terribly difficult to get used to having new people around all the time.

Studying the young woman as she approached, Mai's eyebrows rose. The raven hair wasn't cut short as she had previously thought, but pulled back into a pony tail. Long strands fluttered out from behind the woman's bared shoulder to brush at the back of a slim arm. The dark hair contrasted with creamy skin that barely hinted at an olive tan. Mai thought the woman was probably only a little taller than she was, but she was all long and lean lines that created an illusion of more height.

Shaking her head, Mai brushed off her pants as she stood up, positioning herself between the suddenly quiet kids and the approaching adults. She wished Shizuru was here because her friend was so much better equipped to handle introductions like this, but she was taking a much needed jog while Ryo was safe with Mai and Reito.

With a sigh, Mai decided to get this over with. "Hello, there. I am terribly sorry for bothering you." She stuck out her hand.

The woman's grasp was firm and warm. "Don't worry about it. I hear you've got water. So here I am. My name's Natsuki."

Unable hide her surprise at the low, husky voice Natuski possessed, Mai looked straight into a pair of intense green eyes. "I-I'm Mai. Nice to meet you." Mai realized she was staring, so she tore her gaze away from Natsuki and dropped her hand.

Nastuki could barely contain her laughter at Mai's reaction. Instead, a small grin forced its way past her lips. It wasn't uncommon, especially with women. Nao was always telling her that she should become a phone sex operator. Natsuki's grin widened. "Same here, Mai."

She dropped to one knee, so she was eye level with the two boys huddled behind Mai's nicely shaped legs. They were both handsome little guys, one was dark haired with a pair of deep violet eyes. He must be Mai's and Reito's; those eyes were almost identical to his mom's. The other boy was almost monochromatic, with his tawny hair and amber eyes. Natsuki blinked; she'd never seen coloring on someone like that before.

Reito chuckled a bit at the boys' shy behavior. "It's okay guys. She's nice. Plus I bet she can play some soccer too." He said as he pulled off his sandals and flopped on the blanket.

"Really, Natsuki-chan?" The fair boy asked Natsuki. He'd inched himself a bit from behind Mai, braver now that she was smaller.

Natsuki winked at him. "You bet kiddo. Soccer's my favorite sport." She smiled warmly even as he retreated to the safety of Mai's legs.

Mai's hand came down to push on his back, propelling him forward. She did the same with the other boy. "See? Natsuki's not scary, is she?" The boys turned to look at her and shook their heads simultaneously, which caused Reito to choke back a cough. Natsuki chuckled as Mai wrenched her head around to glare at her husband. Reito was totally whipped, judging by the sheepish expression on the man's face.

Natsuki sat down in the grass, and crossed her legs in front of her. Looking up just a bit at the youngsters, she grinned. They blushed and looked at her with shy smiles of their own.

The boys suddenly burst into simultaneous introductions; "I'm Ryo" from the blonde and "I'm Daiki" came from the brunette. Those were followed up with twin exclamations of, "You're really pretty!"

Natsuki blinked a couple times, even as Mai uttered an embarrassed "Boys!" and then burst into delighted laughter. She liked them already. The couple soon joined in, realizing that Natsuki wasn't offended by the kids' bluntness.

Flabbergasted faces turned upwards to give Mai twin puppy pouts, and Daiki, probably needing to explain himself, said, "Well she is, Mama! Like not pretty like you, but pretty like Shi-chan! Shi-chan likes it when we say she's pretty!" Ryo nodded vigorously.

Natsuki forced herself to stop giggling like a maniac, curious, but decided to file the information away for later. The boys were digging themselves into a hole judging by the pretty pink Mai's cheeks were turning. "You guys are so funny. Thanks, I appreciate it. Now who wants to play some soccer?" She managed to say through her chuckles.

Twenty minutes later, Natsuki was enjoying a rather spirited game of soccer with Ryo and Daiki, when she suddenly heard squeals of "Na-chan!" from off to her right.

Nao and the kids had returned. "Guys, remember the last time-" Nao's warning faded out when Natsuki was gang tackled by the four kids.

"Omph!" Natsuki tried to stay upright for as long as she could but Keiko, their oldest and biggest ward drove right into her side and she toppled over. She managed not to land on little Rei, grunting as the hard earth jarred her shoulder.

Mai and her husband watched the small redhead lug a large bag to their picnic area, dropping her load unceremoniously at their feet. They stood up to help get her settled.

"Hey. My name's Nao. Thanks for inviting us over." She said as she looked them over.

Mai and Reito eyed the brazen redhead with some trepidation, but shrugged. Natsuki hadn't warned them of Nao's somewhat…unorthodox behavior, yet Natsuki was not the most conventional of people and Nao seemed friendly enough. Mai noticed that Nao was watching the rough play with a small smile on her face, so she tapped her husband on the arm and sat down.

Reito followed Mai down onto the blanket and propped his head in his hand. "So, um, Nao, how did you and Natsuki end up with all those kids?"

Nao raised an eyebrow and smirked. "Natsuki and I are lesbian lovers and they are our adopted children."

"Um…Wow?" Mai barely got out. She could feel her face flush. What could she say to that? Most people would rather not speak of their sexuality to people they'd just met. Reito had straightened, eyeing Nao with something between shock and admiration.

Nao glanced over at them then snickered. "You two should see your faces. Natsuki and I are just friends. She and I run a small orphanage. I pretty much run the business side of things, and Natsuki is the legal side, with her team of powerful and loyal lawyers. She's also our maintenance guy."

Mai and Reito exchanged a look; Mai knew exactly what he was thinking. There had to be a story behind these two, and she hoped they would tell it. "Well, either way, it's still kind of shocking. I think it's admirable, but don't you guys get a lot of crap for being two women taking care of a group of kids?" She felt a sharp nudge to her side and glared at her husband who shook his head slightly.

Nao cocked her head in thought, still keeping an eye on her partner and their horde. "Actually, most don't really care, since we don't often do stuff together." She turned to face them completely, light green eyes flashing. "But we have had assholes who thought two girls couldn't raise kids together, and tried to have us shut down. Natsuki fried their asses with her team of legal magicians and I made sure everyone knew what bigoted bastards they were. Those kids," she nodded to the pileup of youngsters. "Need someone to tell them they care, ya know? To give them a safe place till they can find people who would love them for the rest of their lives. Natsuki and I provide that for them."

Mai opened her mouth to apologize but stopped when she noticed a certain honey haired brunette hovering nearby. It was obvious she'd been listening to Nao's impassioned speech from the soft expression playing across her face. Mai tried not to track the leggy beauty with her eyes as she sidled closer.

"Ara, that is wonderful. You attract the most interesting people, Mai-chan, Rieto-bocchan." Shizuru's lyrical voice said just behind Nao, causing the redhead to jump and curse.

Reito scrambled to his feet to give Shizuru a big hug to cover his light laughter. Mai stood with more grace, shaking her head at their friend's mischievous streak. "Shizuru, you really shouldn't scare people like that." She chided while giving her a gentle squeeze.

Shizuru was gorgeous even while sweating after a five mile run. Mai knew if it had been her, she'd look like a blotchy, gross mess. Her friend was sporting a pretty flush on her olive features, and the only indication she just exerted herself was her bangs sticking slightly to her forehead. And her damp shirt, Mai amended. She pulled back with a grimace. "Ew, you're all sticky."

That pulled a silvery laugh from the beautiful brunette, "Ara, yes, I had a great run but it is so very hot." She grabbed the towel Reito offered her and wiped her face, turning to Nao with questioning red eyes.

If Nao was surprised by Shizuru's eye color, she didn't show it. Instead, she boldly stared up at Shizuru, sticking out her hand. "Hello, my name's Nao. My partner and our kids are just hanging out for the day. Nice to meet you."

Shizuru took the offered hand and shook it, not at all surprised by the warm grip of the young woman. "The pleasure is mine, Nao-san. I'm Fujino Shizuru, but please call me Shizuru."

Nao raised an eyebrow, a slow leer crawling across her face. "Did anyone tell you you're hot?"

Mai gasped and Reito choked on the beer he just opened up, nearly spitting it all over their blanket. Shizuru, just smirked at the brazen redhead. _Ara! This one is going to be fun. _However, Shizuru noticed a decided lack of little ones and her red eyes searched the area for Ryo, then shot a sly glance down at Nao. "Well, Mai just did. It is such a warm day after all."

Knowing what her friend would ask, Mai interrupted the admittedly heated staring contest Shizuru and Nao were engaged in. "Ri-chan is playing with Natsuki-san and Dai-kun."

Shouts and peals of laughter drew Shizuru's gaze to a group of children surrounding a woman with pale skin and dark hair. This young woman must be the Natsuki-san Mai had mentioned earlier. Somehow Ryo and Daiki had gotten a hold of Natsuki and crawled on her back, and yet another youngster was wrapped around Natsuki's leg. The young woman must possess incredible strength to carry that much weight.

As the group neared, Shizuru's gaze went from her son, who was laughing and calling out encouragements to the young dark haired woman, to her strong looking shoulders and arms then settled on the little girl attached to a solid, lean leg. Natsuki was certainly attractive and seemed to have the type of personality that children loved.

Nao snorted, bringing Shizuru out of her assessments. "That idiot. She's gonna hurt her back again," she muttered then shouted, "Yo! Rugrats! Break it up and get washed up for dinner!" Disappointed mumblings answered her but the orphans obediently went to follow their foster parent's orders.

Shizuru blinked at the crude language then decided that Natsuki had enough child induced torture. "Ri-chan! Please dismount from the poor lady. You could hurt her, sweetheart."

"Daiki, buddy, it's time for dinner. Say thank you to Natsuki-chan for being such a good pal and get off her." Reito added his voice to the mix. She looked over at the couple as Mai nodded in agreement.

Daiki and Ryo whined as the trio drew near. Natsuki stopped dutifully in front of the blanket, bending so they could get down. Those powerful arms and legs flexed as she worked to deposit her riders gently on the ground. "You guys should totally go easy on the sugar, ya know." She teased them as she gave out high fives. Shizuru re-evaluated her earlier assumptions as Natsuki gracefully rose to her feet, her stomach heaving against her skintight tank top, revealing a tight bundle of muscles through the light material.

Their eyes met, and Shizuru clamped her mouth shut to keep from gasping. The woman had the most beautiful green eyes she had ever seen. To her embarrassment, she couldn't find her voice to introduce herself.

"Hello." Natsuki's sexy voice deepened slightly, causing a thrill to shoot down her spine. This raven haired young woman was absolutely gorgeous, and Shizuru couldn't help but appreciate the beauty in front of her.

Mai stepped between them, just to off to the side. "Um - Shizuru, meet Natsuki Kuga. Natsuki Kuga, meet Shizuru Fujino. She's Ryo's mom." She said, wincing at the overly bright tones of her voice.

"Why hello. Thank you for taking such good care of Ryo. You're unusually gifted with kids." Shizuru said, unconsciously infusing as much of her warm voice with the musical accent she usually hid.

Natsuki's eyes moved to her lips as she spoke then snapped up to meet her eyes again, her irises darkening to a deep forest green. The pouty lips parted, but Nao mercifully interrupted the moment by planting herself in Natsuki's path and jamming a finger to her chest. "You – missy - are supposed to be taking it easy." She backed Natsuki away from the blanket. Natsuki's hands flew into the air in a parody of surrender. "How are you supposed to get back on the field sooner, huh? Without your endorsements and shit, we can't afford the kids."

"Nao…"

"The damn house needs work, too. Didn't you say you were gonna help me redo the bedrooms?"

Natsuki huffed and rolled her eyes, a soft smile floating on her lips. "Nao…"

"Annd-"

"Nao!" Natsuki brought her hands down on Nao's shoulders, shaking her gently. "I'll be fine, Nee-chan. We'll be fine. The kids will be fine. Kay?" Natsuki drew the shorter woman into a hug, and Shizuru glanced away, towards her friends, giving the two a moment of privacy. What she found made her smile; Reito and Mai were watching the women with a sort of guilty fascination.

Just then, Ryo ran up to give Shizuru a hug by wrapping his small arms around her waist and burying his face into her stomach. Her hand automatically smoothed down his unruly curls. "Mama, is Nat-kun in trouble?" He asked, in that not so quiet way children have. Her eyebrow rose at the male honorific, but she gave him a small smile and a gentle shake of her head instead. Natsuki did have a masculine quality about her, and the nickname sounded right to Shizuru.

The two young women heard Ryo and they broke apart with sheepish grins. "Nah, kiddo. Sorry for scaring you. Nao is a bit high strung." Natsuki said, ruffling Nao's hair. Nao punched her in the arm in response. They jostled each other as they found spots on the blanket. Ryo pretty much made himself at home in Natsuki's lap.

Shizuru's melodic chuckle filled the air. "You simply find the most interesting people, bocchan." Reito just shook his head. Grumbling, he helped himself to one of Mai's famous rice balls and handed Ryo one of his favorite flavors. Ryo promptly chomped down on it, causing Shizuru to cluck her tongue. "Ryo - please use smaller bites. And say thank you after you've chewed your food."

Ryo said "thank you" through his food, spitting out bits of rice and tuna in the process, eliciting a barking laugh from Natsuki, who was serving as his seat. Shizuru shook her head and bent to wipe his face. "Follow directions, little one." Shizuru murmured affectionately. Natsuki caught her eye as she pulled away from the pair, giving her a playful smile as she subtly tapped her foot against Shizuru's. She blinked in surprise; Natsuki was flirting with her! Shizuru was aware of her looks and took some pride in them. This wasn't the first time a woman had made the moves on her, but Natsuki was different for some reason. She held the woman's gaze, daring her to do something else; Natsuki's grin widened at the silent challenge.

Before Shizuru could think of anything to do, squeals and shouts announced the return of Natsuki and Nao's kids. Natsuki's powerful gaze moved from her, giving Shizuru the time needed to make a dignified escape. When everyone settled down, Nao doled out sandwiches and Mai announced she had more than enough rice balls. The children cheered at the prospect of more food.

~ SHIZNAT ~

Later that day, Shizuru tucked her son in, humming a small lullaby as she sat on his bed. Most children ask for their parents to read to them, but Ryo could always fall asleep just listening to the sound of her voice, and she found it easier to sing.

"Mama?"

"Yes, little one?" She murmured, brushing an unruly curl out of his eyes.

"Today was fun." He said through a yawn.

She smiled, remembering how he laughed. He looked so happy and carefree, playing with the others. Making friends. "Oh, yes it was wonderful. You made so many friends today."

"Mmhm." He replied sleepily. "I 'specially like Nat-kun. She's awesome. Can we play with her again?"

Instead of answering, Shizuru hummed again, thinking of the playful Natsuki. She was good with kids, and so very sweet. Ryo had taken to her so well, and had already developed a form of hero-worship towards the raven haired woman. Ryo's breathing evened out and she leaned in, giving him a goodnight kiss to his forehead before getting up Making sure she left the door open a crack, Shizuru headed down the hall towards her own bedroom.

Flipping on her lights, Shizuru let out a huff as she busied herself with her nighttime routine. After brushing her teeth and washing her face in the en suite bath, Shizuru pulled her silk nightgown off the hook on the back of the bathroom door. Shizuru had perfected the walking undressing technique a while ago; she was able to get her pajamas over her head, slip off her clothes and pick them off the floor and deposit them in her hamper, all the while walking slowly towards her ridiculous king sized bed. It was so very comfortable, but with only Ryo as her occasional bed mate, it seemed to emphasize Shizuru's loneliness. It was a wedding gift from her parents, and the woodwork was excellent. Not even the justification of her ruined relationship could make her get rid of such an expensive piece of furniture.

A buzzing sound interrupted her thoughts as she turned down the sheets of her bed. She reached out a blind hand and grabbed her phone, smiling at the name on the caller id. "Good evening, Mai-chan. Is Daiki asleep?" She greeted as she snuggled under the covers and fell back into her pillows.

"_Yes, but that's not why I called."_ Mai chuckled and Shizuru settled into her bed.

Shizuru tilted her head, curious. Since they were always doing things together, they didn't need to talk on the phone. Mai would only call to check on Ryo or if she thought Kenta was bothering Shizuru. "Okay then. No, I haven't initiated any contact with Kenta."

"_Again. Not why I called. How do you like our new friends?"_ Mai asked, amusement still in her voice.

"They were unusual, but very nice. Nao and Natsuki are quite amazing, actually." She commented with a smile, remembering how the pair was able to organize a rather rambunctious game of kickball after their lunch.

"_Yup._" Mai said with a laugh. _"They're both big kids. Especially Natsuki."_

"Mmm." Shizuru responded, remembering laughing green eyes. And that smile. She could get just about anything with that-

"Hello? Shizuru, you still there?"

She shook off her thoughts. "Yes, Mai-chan. Just thinking."

"_About a certain athletic, smoky voiced, gorgeous woman with eyes like a deep forest…"_

Shizuru sat up in her bed, flushing at being caught. "What? No - Mai… I - she's really good with Ryo." She paused. "And Daiki for that matter."

"_Yeah, okay."_ Mai didn't sound very convinced. _"You said that already. You like her, don't you?" _

"You like her too, Mai. Hell, even Reito likes her!" Shizuru laughed, shaking her head as Mai grumbled about her not being any fun. "Anyway, I suspect that Daiki would like to see our new friends as well. Natsuki gave me her cell number."

Mai gasped. "_Oh wow! You move fast, woman_." She began giggling at her own joke, while Shizuru uncharacteristically rolled her eyes. Mai was reading too much into these things. Sure, Natsuki was pretty – gorgeous even – but that didn't mean Shizuru was attracted to her.

Leaning back into her pillows a little, Shizuru sighed. "I would like to get to know her a little more." She conceded. "And Nao, too. Ryo needs to have more friends and more positive adult influences in his life."

A little huff from Mai told Shizuru that she was going to say something she wasn't going to like. "_You need to start dating again, Shizuru. If only to let Kenta know you are serious about divorcing him."_

"I'm not ready yet, Mai." Shizuru said with some determination, hoping her friend would let the subject drop.

"_I'm just looking out for you and Ryo. You two deserve someone who'll love you and take care of you."_ Mai said by way of apology.

Knowing Mai's tendency to mother all of her friends, Shizuru didn't stop the grin that threatened to appear on her face. "I know and thank you, Mom." She said in a playful tone.

"_Just give it some thought. And it is way past your bedtime, young lady. I'm going to give that Mai-chan a big talking to for keeping you up at such an ungodly hour."_ Mai said with mock sternness.

Shizuru burst into laughter at the image of Mai scolding herself. "Thanks again, Mai. Have a good night."

"_Night, sweetie. Love you."_ Mai said.

"Love you too."

**AN:**

**WOW, so that was fun! as always, reviews and follows make me happy. Let me know what you all think.**


	2. Chapter 2

**AN: Long time, guys. I am so sorry that it is taking so long to get the two stories out. Life has been getting in the way, but I hope to get chapters out in a quicker fashion soon.** **As always, my beta, Tarsilla Sampiao is awesome, and because I am not as much, all the errors you see are mine. **

Chapter 2

Shouts and laughter rang across the field as tiny soccer players ran after the bouncing ball. Rei, in her little blue and white uniform raced across the small pitch, looking like she had an advantage to gain possession.

"Go! Go – Rei, watch out!" Natsuki shouted, watching in horror as Rei collided with another player, who was trying to dribble the ball by her. The girls landed in a heap, both clutching at their legs and trying not to cry. Not bothering to wait until the whistle blew, Natsuki sprinted over to where Rei lay on the turf.

When Rei saw her, she tried to get up to meet her, but Natsuki threw out a hand. "No – wait," she winced at her harsh tone. "Don't get up, kay?" she struggled to keep her voice low and soothing. She had Rei cradled in her arms in a flash, and murmured words of comfort to the softly crying girl.

"Auntie, my leg hurts." Rei sniffled as she pointed at her ankle, which was red and starting to swell. Natuski grimaced at the sight.

"I see, baby. Does anything else hurt?"

Rei shook her head and whimpered. She then looked over at the other girl, who was currently being gathered up into her father's strong arms as the volunteer trainer worked on a decent sized gash in her leg. The dad shot the pair a dirty look, causing Rei to bury her face into Natsuki's chest and Natsuki to glare back at him. She pulled her ward closer and continued to stare the man down. She was so concentrated on the dad that she didn't realize the trainer had smoothly transitioned to Rei and was talking softly to her.

She blinked and found herself looking into a pair of pretty brown eyes, "Sorry, I didn't catch that."

The trainer chuckled. "I was just wondering how our little trouper was doing, and apologizing for getting to her last."

Natsuki blushed a bit, and smiled back at the charming young woman, before glancing down at Rei, who was staring at the trainer in wonder. "Say Hello, Rei." Natsuki gave her a small nudge.

Rei ducked her head. "Hi, I'm Rei. Nice to meet you."

"Nice to meet you, too. I'm Atsuko." She beamed at Rei. "Now let's check out this leg and get it patched up before your mama goes ballistic." Atsuko winked at Natsuki before focusing on Rei's leg.

Natsuki hid a grimace at the statement. With Rei's pale skin, jet black hair and light honey colored eyes, it was easy to mistake Rei for Natsuki's daughter, especially since she was prone to blushing. Really, Rei was the closest thing that Natsuki had to a child at the foster residence because Rei was their longest resident. Not very many Japanese parents would want a young daughter who looked so different than the average kid. Rei could get bullied mercilessly because of her more "western" coloring. Both Nao and Natsuki were more protective of Rei because of it.

Natsuki never bothered to correct people's misconceptions. But Rei, always wanting to be right, said, "Natsuki's my auntie, not my mama."

"Oh, really? Still, you both have such pretty eyes, I figured you were related."

Rei beamed. "You're real pretty, too Miss Atsuko."

Natsuki burst out laughing at Rei's actions. She knew Rei was just being her precious self, but Natsuki was sure she learned it from watching herself and Nao.

Atsuko looked up from wrapping Rei's ankle, her eyes full of mirth, "Why thank you." She patted the finished wrap and smiled. "You're going to have to stay off your leg and keep your foot up so you can get back to playing soccer. No hospital for you, Rei, just lots of rest. Can you do that for me?"

Rei nodded vigorously, while Natsuki shifted and said, "So, ice up twenty minutes every hour till the swelling goes down? Recovery's gonna be like two weeks, right?"

Atsuko blinked at Natsuki's assessment. "Yeah…" She trailed off while running her eyes up and down Natsuki's bare legs. Then she blushed and glanced at Natsuki's eyes before focusing on putting her supplies into her bag. "You play, huh?"

"Yup. I've had my fair share of twisted ankles." Natsuki smiled warmly at Atsuko, thinking she would totally be her type if her type hadn't changed so recently. "Not so much now cause I'm kinda retired, but I still play occasionally, and coach more often than not."

"Wow. You're Natsuki Kuga? You're in all those advertisements. I didn't realize you retired so young."

Atsuko would've had stars in her eyes if she were in an anime. Natsuki shrugged and got up, turned and kneeled so Rei could climb on her back. She could feel Atsuko's gaze roaming up and down her body, which was flattering. Once Rei was comfortable, she hefted her up and faced Atsuko again. "Yeah, it's more like a self-imposed retirement, though. I busted up my back and broke a couple ribs while playing in the States last year, so I'm really rehabbing, doing some photo shoots, and just chilling with my family."

"You're definitely in shape."

Grinning, Natsuki said, "I do what I can." Rei whined and kicked her a bit to show her impatience. Natsuki twisted her head around and stuck her tongue out at her passenger, who giggled. "Sorry, but this bug's totally up for some after match refreshment. Thanks for the good work, Atsuko."

Atsuko swallowed and blurted, "Can I have your autograph? You're like, one of my heroes."

Since Atsuko was a nice person and so good with the kids, Natsuki had no problem conceding. "Sure. Do you have a pen?"

Atsuko produced a sharpie from her bag and held it up. "Um, can you sign my bag?" She pointed at a blank spot just below a Tokyo University crest.

Natsuki took the marker, knowing exactly what she would write. "Wow. Toudai's a tough place to get into. That's so awesome." She said as she adjusted her grip on Rei to write her message.

Atsuko seemed to forget about trying to flirt with Natsuki and was just staring at her, red faced. She ignored the look she was getting, used to the scrutiny. When she was done, she handed the sharpie back. "Thanks again, see you around." She gave the stunned young woman a little half wave, and made her escape.

After making a pit stop to grab the gear Natsuki brought - a backpack and a blanket that was hastily folded and stuffed into the bag - they headed off towards their favorite snack bar. Rei began to giggle and Natsuki smiled in response. "What's up, bug?"

"You did it again, auntie. Miss Atsuko like – totally likes you."

"Yeah, just don't tell auntie Nao." Rei fiddled with the necklace that Natsuki always wore, a wolf medallion on a leather thong. "You know how she gets."

"Yup," Rei said happily, as if the thought of watching Nao tease Natsuki over the number of phone numbers she got from random women and men was the best thing ever. Some of the women even got Natsuki to blush.

When a new child was brought into the house to live with Natsuki and Nao, they'd have a sit down with them about Natsuki's sexual orientation, believing that being upfront could help take care of any misunderstandings down the line. They only took in girls because the government didn't want boys and girls to live together with only adult women. Some girls were gay, or not sure, so Natsuki was always trying to work with those girls who might be questioning their orientation.

Rei learned from an early age that one of her aunts really, really liked boys and the other really, really liked girls, so it was completely normal for her to pick up on Natsuki's dates.

Natsuki snorted at her youngest charge and scanned the park as she trudged up the hill. She was hoping to run into a certain leggy brunette with amazing eyes. Even though she really only got to talk to Shizuru for a couple of hours, she had made an impression with Natsuki. She was sexy, smart, and so great with Ryo. In fact, most of Natsuki's kids took to Shizuru as well.

Rei began to fidget, kicking her legs out and hopping up and down as much as she could. Natuski grunted as a knee met with the underside of her arm. "Whoa, bug, chill out!"

Instead of calming down, Rei shouted "Shi-chan!" And kneed her again.

"Where?" Natsuki asked.

Rei grabbed the sides of Natsuki's head to turn it where she wanted Natsuki to look. "There!" Shizuru waved them over, so Natsuki happily obliged.

Shizuru was sprawled on a blanket, looking relaxed. Only one word did her justice – Wow. Wearing what looked like a pair of really short shorts, a top that tied off just under her breasts and sunglasses, honey hair glinting in the sun, Shizuru was stunning. She stood with a graceful movement as they approached, making Natsuki thankful for the really dark lenses of her own pair of sunglasses. Her eyes roamed over the curves that were on full, proud display.

Shizuru ignored the stares aimed at her by passersby as she smiled. "Ara, hello! It's so great to see you here, Rei-chan and Natsuki-kun."

Rei immediately kicked to be let down. "Hiya! Where's Ryo?" The pair had become fast friends the week before, and it was tough to get them to part at the end of the day – which was a perfect opportunity for Natsuki to give Shizuru her number. The brunette did not give her a number in return, but Natsuki understood the reluctance, even if it stung a little.

Shizuru watched Natsuki carefully deposit Rei on the blanket. "He's off bird watching today with some of his friends from school for a project." When she noticed Natsuki prop Rei's leg up with quiet instructions to stay still, Shizuru asked, "Rei, are you okay?"

Proud that she was being addressed, Rei puffed out her small chest. "Yeah, I'm good. I tackled someone today and busted my ankle, but Miss Atsuko made it all better."

"Oh? And why must you tackle people?" Natsuki stifled a laugh as she watched Shizuru's expression go from a half-smile to wide eyed surprise.

"Eh - don't listen to the bug, she's got delusions of grandeur," Natsuki said with a goofy grin, ignoring Rei'sl loud protest. "She just got a little too excited at soccer today and plowed into some poor kid." Natsuki leveled a stern gaze at Rei. "No more stunts like that, kid. You gotta keep your head up." She watched Rei wilt a little, but didn't feel bad about scolding her because Rei needed to learn not to be so reckless. A twisted ankle and a torn up knee were nothing compared to the concussions and broken ribs as a result of reckless tackling.

"Sorry, Auntie," Rei pouted.

Natsuki nodded and brushed her hair back out of her eyes. "Just be more careful, bug." She stood and got an excellent view of Shizuru's... impeccable assets. The white shirt was merely a modesty piece, covering up a skimpy black bikini top that made Natsuki's mouth water. For some reason, she could not force her eyes away from the enticing cleavage. _God, I haven't known her for that long and yet I think she just might kill me._

"Natsuki?"

At the sound of the gentle question, Natsuki blinked up into a curious gaze. "Uh, yeah?" She asked, feeling heat rise up her face.

"Did you want anything to drink?" Shizuru gestured to a small cooler that was currently being used as Rei's seatback.

Rei giggled, probably guessing that Natsuki had been caught with "impure thoughts" as Nao liked to call them. Shooting a quick glare at her young charge, and then smiling at Shizuru, Natsuki said, "Nah, I'm actually going to head over to that crepe place. We usually get an after soccer snack from there." Shizuru cast her eyes down before plastering a fake smile on. "But, if you would like, I can get you something as thanks for letting us crash here for a bit." Natsuki said, trying not to hurt Shizuru's feelings.

Shizuru sat down and scooted closer to Rei. "Well, that would be wonderful. I believe they have green tea ice cream. I'll take a small please."

Natsuki bent and dug around in her bag, grabbing her wallet. "All right. I'll be back in twenty." She gave Rei her best stern glare, but knew Rei wouldn't misbehave. "You be good for Miss Shizuru." Rei tried to roll her eyes, but didn't quite pull it off. Natsuki ignored it, mostly because Shizuru was giggling behind her hand.

-SHIZNAT-

This afternoon was turning out to be a wonderful surprise for Shizuru. She was resolved to read the book that she brought with her while working on her tan. She rarely got to go outside during the week, as she was currently in the middle of a project to shift the collection of her library at the school she works at. Moving entire collections, shelf by shelf is ridiculously hard work. There was also the dreaded weeding period in which she had to comb through thousands of books to find the ones that weren't being used. On top of de-selecting items that students weren't using, she had to also catalog the new books that she'd acquired. Between reference questions and inventorying the collection, Shizuru was in the library from eight in the morning to six or seven in the evening.

Having Ryo from Wednesday to Saturday was a wonderful thing. She just hated that he had to go back to his dad, who was becoming more and more ambivalent recently. There were times when Kenta wouldn't be home to take Ryo and they would have to wait in the drive way for him to come back from wherever he went. Ryo's birthday was in April – Kenta forgot that. His bachelor pad of an apartment was not "kid friendly"; Ryo didn't even have a toy bin at his father's home. At times, when Shizuru and Kenta tried to tolerate each other's presence, Shizuru would catch Kenta looking at their son with something of a sneer on his face. Shizuru thought Kenta was actively ignoring Ryo, too. And it showed when Ryo came back from school. He would come home sullen and tired, refusing to talk to Shizuru, even though he was a regular chatterbox when he was happy.

It was also getting progressively more difficult to get Ryo to go to his father's house. She wished she wasn't so terrified of talking to her soon to be ex-husband so she could remind him that his first priority should be their son, and not business or his flavor of the week. Kenta didn't seem to want to have to work at being a father, and seemed content with passing on his genes. While she didn't want to compare Reito and her own father to Kenta, it was impossible not to. Reito was so overjoyed with his kids, often sacrificing his business meetings for any afterschool activity Daiki was in. Even her strict father was warm and kind to her, letting her choose her own path in life instead of expecting her to take over the Fujino Dynasty when he was ready to retire. Kenta, however thought that raising Ryo was Shizuru's job and was only taking Ryo as a way to have some semblance of control over her.

Shaking her head, she focused on the delightful Rei, who was currently describing her harrowing soccer game and subsequent injury.

"And Boom!" Rei said, clapping her hands together for emphasis and making Shizuru wince at the sound. "We fell. And she got a huge cut on her leg. I didn't cry as much as she did though." Ryo added proudly.

"Oh? I bet your leg hurt a lot. You were quite brave, I'd say." Shizuru didn't know a lot about soccer, but much of the sport seemed to involve bone crunching collisions with no padding. She was glad that Ryo preferred archery.

"Yeah, it totally hurts, but Miss Atsuko is really cool and she helped out."

Rei mentioned this person earlier and Shizuru noticed Natsuki had reacted strangely to the name. "Is Miss Atsuko a coach?"

Rie giggled. "No, silly! She's the, Um M-E-T! She's really pretty and nice."

"EMT, sweetie," Shizuru said. "Really? Does your Natsuki like this Miss Atsuko?" She had to tamp down on a bit of inexplicable jealousy that flared up.

She should have found some time during the week to give Natsuki a call. But she was really worried about how Natsuki would respond. Would Natsuki think she was interested in her in that way?

_Get over yourself Shizuru. Natsuki is nice and you could always have more friends._

Rei scoffed at her question. "Noooo. I mean, Miss Atsuko like, totally likes her, but lots of girls like her like that. Auntie Nao says it's because Auntie Natsuki has chasma."

"Its charisma, bug, but you don't get to gossip about me without my permission," Natsuki said. How she managed to carry all the food she was holding without dropping it was amazing. "Shizuru, could you help me out here? I think I might lose a crepe."

"Sure." Shizuru jumped up to help, reaching out to untangle one of the three crepes Natsuki had in her arms. This was the closest she'd ever come to Natsuki, and she smelled divine. Grass and a sandalwood perfume combined with a light musky scent that was seductive and sensual. Natsuki blew out a breath that caressed her neck, and she looked up only to be caught in an intense green graze.

"Thanks." Natsuki's usual husk was deeper, rumbling pleasantly through Shizuru. She shivered in response, wondering how this woman could affect her so much even though she barely knew her.

The moment disappeared when a sharp exclamation from behind Natsuki caused her to tense up and blink. Her expression flattened into anger for some reason. Shizuru glanced at the sound, noticing an older man with a shirt that was the same as Rei's jersey glowering at Natsuki for all he was worth. Natsuki quickly moved past her and placed the food down, and gently took the food out of Shizuru's hand. Shizuru was too busy watching the man's face get redder and redder once he realized that Natsuki was ignoring him.

"Hey," The man said, while waving his arms about. "I'm talking to you. Turn around while I'm addressing you, girl."

Natsuki exploded into motion, quickly moving into the man's personal space. "I am not required to say anything to you, nor am I required to acknowledge you. I'm sorry your kid was hurt; it was a soccer play, and an accident," she said in a low dangerous tone. "There's no reason for the posturing."

The man towered over Natsuki and puffed up his chest. Shizuru interjected herself between the two, afraid the man was fully capable of getting violent. "Ara." She smiled up at the man, noting that his eyes went directly to her cleavage. "Please, there is no need to create a scene, yes?" She said, hoping to appeal to a sense of propriety in him.

The man sputtered and stepped back, glancing around him. "I-I… Um…" His eyes landed on Rei, and his mouth twisted in a scowl. "Little bastard."

Shizuru was stunned at the venom in his tone. From her place behind her, Natsuki let out a snarl and darted around Shizuru, jabbing her finger at him.

"Take that back, asshole," she hissed, pushing him away from Rei. "What the fuck is wrong with you?"

Shizuru recovered from her shock, and stepped beside Natsuki, crossing her arms and glaring at the man. How could a father say something like that to a child? "How dare you?" she asked. "She is a _child_. She has done nothing to receive your vitriol and disdain."

The man, probably realizing when he was beat, grumbled something about bitches and other things that shouldn't be said in polite company, and slunk off.

"Asshole," Natsuki said under her breath. She shook herself and looked at Shizuru. "Hey, thanks for the assist there." With a light touch to Shizuru's arm, she turned and quickly gathered a quietly sobbing Rei into her arms.

The afternoon was ruined, but Shizuru was determined to keep the pair with her at least until her little one came back. In a quick decision, Shizuru kneeled down beside Natsuki and Rei and laid a hand against Natsuki's back. "After that, we really need some sweets, no?" She smiled at them.

Rei's big eyes sparkled at her as she handed over the somewhat melted crepe. "Thank you, Shi-chan."

Natsuki gave Rei a squeeze and smiled at Shizuru. "Well, I don't mind hanging out with such a pretty lady." She winked at Shizuru, who narrowed her eyes at the cheesy gesture. "What about you, bug?"

Rei giggled. "Duh, we gotta finish up our snacks." She said. "'Sides, Auntie Nao is probably gonna take forever with the other girls." She paused dramatically. "Shopping, gross."

Natsuki threw back her head and laughed. "Oh my god, kiddo. Never change." She looked up at Shizuru, who was struggling not to burst into laughter. "I called Nao earlier for a lift, but she said she was going to be late with the older girls, so we're stuck here. But the company isn't bad, so no biggie."

Shizuru snatched her hand back and looked down, embarrassed at the heat creeping up her cheeks. A warm glow settled in her chest, something that she rarely felt.

"Well, I need to take Ryo back to his father tonight after he gets back, so I could swing you two by your house if you'd like?" Shizuru asked, without looking at Natsuki.

She could feel Natsuki's eyes on her, their heat making her squirm. Rei cheered, and again Shizuru let out a jagged breath as another moment was broken.

Natsuki couldn't answer, because Ryo burst from the tree line with a shout and dove right into Shizuru's arms, bowling her over.

"Mom! Mom, Mom," he said breathlessly. "I got all the birds, see?" He shoved his worksheet in her face, ignoring that he was sitting on top of her.

Shizuru giggled. "Yes, darling I can see them. Good job," she said. With a gentle tug, she had the paper on the ground and her son sitting next to her. He was getting a little big for the tackling; her ribs were a little sore and protested when she sat up, but she didn't want to cut off his enthusiasm.

"Cool! Can I see, Ri-chan?" Rei asked.

Soon the kids were chattering away; Rei didn't notice when Natsuki extracted herself from her and shuffled closer to Shizuru.

"I wouldn't mind if you drop us off, and Nao said thanks, too." She held up her phone. "The girls are still on a spree. As Rei predicted."

"Great, don't worry about seating arrangements. I always have a spare child's seat ready in case I have to take Daiki off Mai's hands," Shizuru said. Then she felt her stomach drop when she remembered that Ryo had to go back to his father's house after their day at the park. _Damnit, this is going to be so embarrassing. Kenta's apartment is on the way back home. _She bit at her lip, and studied Natsuki, for what felt like the hundredth time that afternoon. She was staring back at Shizuru, her eyes jumping between Shizuru's face and the kids. Natsuki's face began to glow a bright red that was, in Shizuru's opinion, absolutely adorable.

"Umm... Right," Natsuki said, and began to fidget with her necklace. The tension once again ratcheted up; the heat between them made Shizuru feel short of breath. "So, are you single?" Natsuki's eyes went wide and she covered her mouth.

Not completely sure what she should do, Shizuru crossed her arms under her breasts and tilted her head to the side. She was more amused than anything, and her face was hurting with her attempts to keep herself from smiling at poor Natsuki. The woman looked about ready to explode.

"That came out completely wrong, I'm so sorry."

Natsuki looked so out of sorts that Shizuru burst out laughing. "No, no. It's okay, really." She waved off a protest from Natsuki. "I'm truly flattered. No one's been so bold before."

"Auntie Natsuki's all red!"

"Ohh, Nat-kun looks like a tomato!"

Natsuki sent a half-hearted glare at the giggling kids. "Can it, peanuts. I asked a perfectly reasonable question," she shot Shizuru a worried look. "Right?"

Shizuru couldn't resist a tease. She scooted closer and shot a grin at Natsuki. "Yes. It is not acceptable in all social situations, though." She leaned in and watched Natsuki's gaze dart down her cleavage and back up again as she gulped. "Natsuki-kun is so cute that I just can't be angry with her." She tapped Natsuki's nose with a smirk.

"Hey!" Natsuki managed to look flustered and embarrassed at the same time.

Shizuru ignored her, turning to the kids. "Now who wants to help pack up?" She asked, clapping her hands.

Ryo groaned, knowing the routine by now. He was required to get all the stuff in piles so Shizuru could pack their little red wagon for the walk back to their car. He tugged at the cooler. "Rei -chan, I gotta get to this."

Rei nodded. "Kay. I can put the stuff in it if you want."

Shizuru smiled at the kids' great teamwork. "Natsuki-kun? Would you mind helping me with the wagon?"

"Sure."

Working together, they were able to get ready to go faster than Shizuru thought possible. With Rei tucked into the wagon, and Ryo on Natsuki's back, they set off towards home. Today had been the best day in a long while, and Shizuru couldn't help but dread leaving her baby with a father whom she suspected no longer cared to raise him.

~SHIZNAT~

Something was up with Shizuru, Natsuki was sure of it. She couldn't stop staring at the woman whose face was lit in warm caramel from the setting sun. But with each passing moment, Shizuru sat up straighter and gripped the steering wheel of her fancy crossover so tight the tendons in her hands were standing out.

"So, wanna tell me what's going on?" Shit. She did it again. She just couldn't keep her thoughts to herself around Shizuru.

In response, Shizuru quickly found a parking space at a convenience store and took a quick glance at the two sleeping kids in their kiddy seats. Once satisfied that they were asleep, Shizuru pinned Natsuki with those mysterious eyes.

"I must ask you for a favor," she said, her voice so low that Natsuki had to lean forward to hear. "I must bring Ryo back to his father tonight - his apartment is on the way to your house. Is it acceptable to stop there first?"

"Yeah, sure." Natsuki grabbed Shizuru's hands. "But something else is going on, isn't there?"

Shizuru sagged against the driver's seat, but made no attempt to take back her hands. "Yes, his father and I are separated." A fleeting smile crossed her face as Natsuki snorted. So, she was single, but not technically. "He... Doesn't like being a father."

Oh, god she hoped Shizuru wasn't going to tell her something terrible. "Did he...I mean..." She fought to keep her voice down and her thoughts in order.

A soft touch to her lips startled her. "No, nothing so terrible, as of yet." Shizuru shook her head. "Ryo doesn't like being with his father. Kenta is, well, ambivalent at best and rarely interacts with Ryo." Shizuru didn't seem to notice that the fingers so recently held to Natsuki's lips were tracing soft lines across Natsuki's cheeks.

Those feather light touches were pure bliss, but Natsuki couldn't allow herself to indulge. Swiftly, but as gently as she could, she took Shizuru's hand and held it. "Okay, so are you trying to warn me about Ryo's reaction or Kenta's?"

"This is more for me," Shizuru's eyes sparkled with unshed tears. "I know I sound selfish, but I can't stand having to leave my baby with a man who doesn't even want him."

"Who wouldn't want Ryo? He's an awesome kid."

Shizuru waved her hands in a helpless gesture. "During our marriage he would always say it was my job to care for Ryo. When we separated, I was sure he would have no problem giving me full custody of Ryo, with visits and things. Basically, continuing what he did while we were together." Shizuru suddenly straightened and glared at Natsuki. Even though she knew that look wasn't meant for her, those gleaming red eyes were kind of scary. She wondered if Shizuru's husband got the business end of that look. "That no good S-O-B is using Ryo as leverage during the divorce proceedings. He thinks that he can get my family to bow to him."

Natsuki hastily waved her hands around. "Whoa, whoa," she said. "Time out. So, like why would he wanna do that? Is it money? Is he trying to hide an affair? Or is he just an all-around B-tard?"

Shortening bastard pulled a reluctant smile out of Shizuru, but it dropped almost immediately. "I'm an heiress."

"Ohhh. So you're from _those_ Fujinos." That explained the accent - Natsuki knew of a super-rich, super old family from Kyoto with the same name, but didn't want to ask if Shizuru was from that line. It wasn't any of her business. Natsuki was rather well off in her own way, and was uncomfortable revealing that to people. "Cool. I mean about the heiress part, not the jackass ex-husband part."

Shizuru chuckled. "Yes, I am not in line for the family business, however I do have a substantial sum available to see to my, ah, comfort." Shizuru rolled her eyes, which seemed out of place to Natsuki. "It is all invested, and I do earn a living. So he would not have any access to the money he wants anyways."

"Okay, so what do you want me to do?" Natsuki felt bad about stopping the conversation but it was getting late, and Rei needed to get to bed or she'd never wake up on Sunday morning.

Shizuru blinked. "Right. If you don't mind carrying Ryo's things behind me? I'm sure I'll have to tuck him into bed, and I don't want to have to argue with Kenta afterwards."

"Right. I'm a buffer. Got it."

Once they got to the house, it was apparent that Shizuru's husband wasn't going to let Shizuru drop their son off peacefully. When Shizuru pulled up to the gate of a short driveway, the intercom crackled.

"You're late, Shizuru," the unpleasant voice said before shutting off the connection and the doors swung open. The SUV slowly lurched forward.

With only that short description and the voice to go by, Natsuki knew she and this asshole were not going to see eye to eye. And that's putting it lightly. "Dude has no manners," she muttered.

Shizuru sighed. "Yes, I'm afraid this will not be as neat as I thought it would be." Her face was screwed up in pain.

Without thought, Natsuki grasped Shizuru's hand, something she has done a lot today. "How about I take Ryo and get him up to the room before he wakes up, huh?" She didn't want him to see his parents fighting, and she hoped that Shizuru would be able to move the argument away from the car to spare Rei, too.

Red eyes grazed over their interlocked hands before they locked on to Natsuki's. _Good god this_ _woman was beautiful_. Natsuki couldn't breathe for what seemed like forever as she stared into Shizuru's tempestuous gaze. "That would be a good idea," Shizuru said, her honeyed voice straining.

A door slammed and Shizuru wrenched her gaze towards a figure coming down the path. Shizuru threw the SUV into park. _When did we stop moving?_ With rough movements, Shizuru quickly got out of the vehicle. "He's in the second door on the right, on the second floor. You'll see the stairs." She said before slamming the door shut.

"What did I tell you about getting her-" Shizuru's husband had worked himself into a rage and he was already throwing spit out of his mouth. Natsuki scrambled to get out of the car, and her movement stopped his tirade for the moment.

"Kenta, this is Kuga Natsuki, a friend," Shizuru introduced them when Natsuki stopped at her side. Her voice was stiff and formal, and her posture screamed that there would be consequences if Natsuki was treated poorly.

"Hey," Natsuki didn't care if she was being impolite to the cold man before her. He was leering at her with hungry eyes. She gave him her best eat-shit-and-die stare, which wasn't working because he couldn't seem to get his eyes to move above her neckline. "I'd say it's nice to meet you, but since you can't unglue your eyeballs from my boobs, it's really not."

That got him. He was currently sputtering. Natsuki dismissed him. Dude wasn't worth her time, and she had a little one to put to bed. "Is it okay if I grab Ryo now?" she pointedly asked Shizuru.

"Go right ahead. I'll take care of his things." Shizuru said, warmth infusing her voice. Natsuki had to tear herself away from Shizuru's beautiful, twinkling eyes.

_Those eyes, I mean, god they're amazing. _She thought as she wrestled with the unconscious boy. Shizuru's expressions were usually controlled, but Natsuki was learning that she didn't have the same discipline with her eyes.

As Natsuki rushed the freed Ryo up the stairs of a coldly decorated house, she heard an argument start up again. Everything was in shades of gray, whites and blacks, like a fashionable bachelor pad. It didn't seemed lived in. Even Ryo's room was pristine. No wonder the kid was unhappy here.

The shouting got louder, and there was some muffled thumping, like stuff getting thrown around. Or she hoped. Quickly, she found Ryo's PJ's and changed him, and then got him under his covers. He murmured and burrowed into the bed. With a light kiss to his forehead, she said, "Your momma can't do this now, little man, but that's from her to you."

Not sure if she should close the door, she left it open halfway and headed towards the sounds of the argument. She found the two standing almost nose to nose in the living room. Kenta looked like he was trying to use his size to intimidate Shizuru, while Shizuru looked suspiciously relaxed. It wasn't until Shizuru flicked her eyes towards her that she acted.

"Yo, nice digs, man," she said loud enough to be heard over Kenta's roar.

Kenta jumped back a few spaces and grumbled, "Thanks."

He obviously didn't look grateful for her interruption nor her presence, but Natsuki only cared about Shizuru. She swept her gaze over him before landing on Shizuru. "Is it okay that we head out now? Ryo's all set, and I really wanna get Rei to bed too."

Shizuru nodded. "Let me say a quick goodbye, then we can leave."

Natsuki shrugged. "Sure."

Shizuru bolted towards the stairs, leaving Natsuki with the asshole. Her lips pulled into a sneer.

Kenta decided to try to make his dominance known by stepping into Natsuki's space. "Well, well, my mind is blown. Kuga Natsuki, the soccer player turned model is right here in my living room." He gave her another onceover. "I loved your swimsuit pictures from last summer. Those pictures inspired a great deal from me."

Natsuki snorted, she knew exactly what those pictures did to a lot of people. Not that she cared, that money was going toward the kids. Her lips stretched into a feral grin as she stepped even closer. "You think that's gonna scare me?" she purred. "You're wrong. I've eaten assholes like you for dinner, now move along big fella, before I make you."

She slipped away as he growled in frustration. She'd heard Shizuru coming down the stairs and wanted to get out of the house before she did something really stupid. With a quick glance behind her, she said in a flat tone, "And if I hear that you've laid a finger on that sweet boy upstairs or Shizuru, you won't know what hit you. You will feel their pain, and I will not care."

Shizuru was already at the landing, and Natsuki walked towards her like a moth to a flame. "Are you ready?" she asked.

"Yes. And thank you," Shizuru said. "He asked for a song."

Natsuki almost melted at the sad wistful look Shizuru was giving her. She was sure it was impossible to be so attracted to another human being. "C'mon, let's get munchkin number two into her bed," her voice was gruff, and she felt the heat rise up in her cheeks at the obvious show of attraction.

"Yes, I am sure she will be wanting her bed," Shizuru touched her shoulder as Natsuki walked by. "Thank you for Kenta, too," her breath tickled Natsuki's ears, causing her to shiver.

"C'mon," Natsuki didn't want to be this long close to Kenta if she could help it. "It's not a big deal. I have seen worse things."

Shizuru huffed as they walked out of the home. "I do have to say that I am sorry for my husband's behavior."

"Hey it's not a big deal, really," Natuski didn't want to make Shizuru feel bad for her husband's douchbaggery. "It's awkward, yeah, but Kenta's a grade- A dick. He's not gonna change on my account."

There was a shout and something smashed against a wall next to the door they just walked through. They both jumped, and Shizuru turned around, as if she wanted to charge back in there. Natsuki grabbed her arm and tugged her back against her. "Whoa, there killer!"

"He could hurt Ryo!" Shizuru struggled a bit before relaxing against Natsuki. "No, he'll wait until I leave then go get drunk at the hostess club." Shizuru brought her hand up to squeeze Natsuki's hand. "I hate it, but I can't prove it. So I got a family tracking system for his phone."

Natsuki shook her head. The amount of crap that Shizuru had do go through was just shitty. "Well, it was my fault anyways. I sort of provoked him. I'm sorry."

Shizuru sighed and turned in her arms. "He is…" She shook her head, and refused to look at Natsuki. She pulled out of their embrace. "Come, let's get Rei-chan to bed."

Natsuki followed Shizuru to the car, and wondered why Shizuru just threw up her walls. She'd been remarkably candid before. Natsuki sucked in a breath. "Okay, for what it's worth, I am sorry."

"Natsuki-kun is sweet, I appreciate her concern," Shizuru said as she opened the car door.

Natsuki could take a hint. "Kay." Getting back home was going to be so awkward.

~SHIZNAT~

The ride over to Natsuki's house was silent with the exception of a couple of tired protests from Rei, which were calmed by Natsuki's patient words. They pulled into the driveway of a large three-story building that closely resembled a home but not quite. A light flashed on, flooding the front of the building in a warm glow, and drawing the eye towards a plaque proudly stating that this house was named "Hope."

"Do you mind hanging out for a second? You don't have to come in, I just wanted to send you off properly," Natsuki asked, her hands scrunching a piece of her shirt.

Shizuru warmed at the thought. She'd heard the last part of the threat Natsuki issued to her husband, and was stunned. It was hard to connect the cold Natsuki with the earnest one that was staring at her with huge puppy eyes, but she knew that she wanted to get to know all sides of Natsuki, especially after she stood up to her crass ex. "Why yes of course, Natsuki-kun. I'll wait right here for you."

Natsuki broke into a radiant smile that seemed to light up the car. "Great! I won't be long." She expertly released Rei from her child's seat and was off into the building in a flash.

Shizuru sighed. It was unfathomable that Natsuki was beginning to break through her defenses. In two short meetings, Shizuru felt like she could trust Natsuki with her feelings. Goodness knows Ryo adored her, which was a huge plus in Shizuru's book. She knew she wanted to become friends with the woman. But what about all those moments they'd shared just this afternoon? Shizuru shook her head. There was an odd heat between them, she knew, but damn did it confuse her.

The front door opened and Natsuki bounded out with an energy that made Shizuru chuckle. She was just too adorable. When Shizuru got out of the car to meet her, Natsuki skidded to a halt. "Ara, it's a speed record."

Natsuki buffed her chest with her knuckles. "What can I say? I am the master."

"Indeed," Shizuru laughed behind her hand.

"So, um," Natsuki's confidence disappeared in favor of a nervous school girl. "Do you wanna hang out sometime?"

Shizuru opened her mouth but nothing came out. Was Natsuki asking her on a date? She didn't think Natsuki had it in her to be so bold. Should she say yes? No?

Natsuki's eye widened. "Oh shit. I did it again, didn't I? I'm not asking you out or anything. Like unless you want it to be?" Shizuru's smooth charm wasn't present because she was still trying to wrap her head around what Natsuki was asking. Natsuki's frustrated movements grew larger. "I really wanna get to know you and the little man better, that's all. Dammit, I didn't want…"

Shizuru had enough of the guilty looks and the apologies Natsuki was stumbling over, so she covered her mouth with her hand. Her other arm wrapped around Natsuki's slim waist. "Ara, Natsuki-kun is rambling," Shizuru chuckled. "I'd love to go out for dinner with Natsuki-kun if she wouldn't mind picking the place and time?"

Natsuki's face was growing redder by the second, and it was then that Shizuru realized how intimate the embrace was. Natsuki's solid arms had come up around Shizuru's neck for balance and their faces were so close that Shizuru could see a thin scar on Natsuki's forehead, running diagonally from her hairline to just above her right eyebrow. Her fingers flexed into the flesh of Natsuki's waist. "Ara, you have a scar?"

Natsuki used the question to gently push them apart. "Yeah, soccer accident."

Shizuru tilted her head in thought. _I wonder if there are any other scars. Perhaps under that lovely shirt?_ Shizuru shook her head. She really had to get some rest.

Natsuki cleared her throat. "So, you up for Italian? There's this new place in Shibuya that looks good."

Shizuru nodded. "Yes, I've heard of it. I think it's called_ Bambino's_? I hear they have authentic food, and the price isn't terrible."

Natsuki smiled. "Yeah, that's the place. Wanna meet at 6:30 on Tuesday? I'll make the reservations for 7:30, that way we can do some shopping if you want."

That sounded like a wonderful idea. Shizuru had wanted to head to Shibuya for a while – one of her favorite shopping centers was there – but she hated the crowds. She returned the smile. "Excellent idea."

"Well, I'll see you on Tuesday," Natsuki said. She fussed with her jacket, and looked at Shizuru with huge puppy eyes. The expression on Natsuki's face was just too cute and Shizuru couldn't bring herself to open the car door.

The awkwardness surrounding them was killing her, so she marched up to Natsuki and pulled her into a tight hug. She sighed into it when Natsuki wrapped those arms around her. "Thank you for everything," she said, then impulsively bent to press a kiss on the corner of Natsuki's mouth.

Taking advantage of Natsuki's surprise, she pulled out of the hug and escaped to the car. Natsuki had gone into a trance; not that she could blame her, that hug was special. She rolled down the window. "Ara, Natsuki-kun had better not catch a cold and miss dinner, or I'll have to punish her," she called then backed out of the drive.

Her happiness dimmed when she realized she hadn't given Natsuki her phone number. She only hoped she didn't lose the number Natsuki had given her.


End file.
